Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis rolled up their sleeves this past Tuesday to shine a spotlight on child care in Pennsylvania. Hosting a roundtable event at the YMCA Child Development Center located within the bounds of Duquesne University, the duo took the opportunity to talk shop about bolstering aid for the child care workforce, part of the governor's latest budget proposal, as reported by PAcast.

In the trenches of his first term, Governor Shapiro has already put his signature on legislation that seeks to make child care slightly more within reach for families—expanding tax credits and even coaxing businesses to chip in to cover their employees' child care expenses. But the task is far from complete. The agenda this time around? A hefty $55 million investment intended to recruit and keep hold of child care workers, according to details shared at the discussion.

Joining the governor and lieutenant governor were Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis, Amy Kienle of the YMCA, and Robert Cherry from Partner4Work, along with several child care workers directly impacted by these policies. As the voices of experience, they were there to add some real-world perspective to the dollars and cents talk of government budgets and initiatives.

The initiatives already in place under Governor Shapiro's watch appear to have set the stage, but the real act may be the $55 million proposal currently on the table. This proposed financial boost aims to directly support the people who are the backbone of the child care industry, making it easier for them to securely hold onto their invaluable roles, according to the information relayed at the roundtable event. Pittsburgh's own YMCA Child Development Center, a living example of these policies in action, served as the apt backdrop for these discussions.

While the governor's office has been quick to tout these steps as historic, the proof of their impact will ultimately be measured by the experiences of Pennsylvania families and the child care providers themselves. The conversation on February 18th marks just another checkpoint in the ongoing struggle to ensure that quality child care isn't an impossible commodity for working families.